


Moon and Stars

by i_gaze_at_scully



Series: Dog Owner AU [1]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-09-13 19:49:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16898826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_gaze_at_scully/pseuds/i_gaze_at_scully
Summary: This series inspired by this post on tumblr: https://i-gaze-at-scully.tumblr.com/post/174528450955/au-where-mulder-and-scully-meet-because-they-keep.





	Moon and Stars

**Author's Note:**

> This series inspired by this post on tumblr: https://i-gaze-at-scully.tumblr.com/post/174528450955/au-where-mulder-and-scully-meet-because-they-keep.

It’s 5:17 AM, but Dana doesn’t mind the early hour. It’s actually one of her favorite times of day. There’s a certain lull to the world at 5:17 in the morning. It’s a world in limbo, potential energy poised, waiting to kick start the day. Hazy first light in the summer, twilight blues in the winter, and crisp air any time of year. 5:17 AM isn’t the problem.

The problem is the way she’s woken up. Stella like to cuddle, but Goldens shed like it’s nobody’s business, so Dana has her sleep on the floor. 5:17 AM rolls around and she’s jumped into bed, licking her adopted mom’s face and pawing at her chest. 

“All right, all right, I know,” Dana mumbles in a half-conscious fog. She can’t push Stella off, so she sits up and deals instead with the  _thawp_  of her tail on her back. After a quick few minutes in the bathroom, she slips Stella’s leash on and heads out.

Dana considers herself lucky that Stella is so well-behaved. When Gwenne next door rung her bell with a literal red wagon full of newborn puppies (who does that in 1990?), she had no idea what the expect. Gwenne and her family were moving soon and the unexpected litter threw a bit of a wrench in their plans, so Dana agreed to take one. She named her Stella, always having had a fondness for the night sky, and raised her from a puppy. Three years old now, she was finally starting to understand her own parameters; Dana was able to put flower vases back on the coffee table. But other than that, she’d been a breeze. 

She follows commands well, so Dana never has to worry about being tugged by an animal that weighs over half her own weight. “Heel,” she says when Stella wanders, and she comes. “Do your business,” she says when Stella gets distracted, and she does. That one is particularly useful on the days Dana has her early shifts.

Like today. She was due at the hospital at 7. “Do your busin–” she starts to tell her dog, but is suddenly dragged halfway down the sidewalk as Stella barrels full-speed towards another dog coming their way.

“Heads up!” yells the owner, stumbling and trying futilely to regain control of his dog. Dana flies headfirst into the poor guy, their dogs dancing the leash dance and getting acquainted. She uses both hands to try to pull Stella away. 

“Stella!” she chides

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” the guy says, reaching down to untangle the leashes. He deftly unclips his distracted dog’s leash, slides the leash out, pulls the dog away by the collar, and reattaches it.

“Seems like you’ve got that down pat,” Dana says, holding a still excited Stella on a short leash by her side. 

“Yeah, it’s not my first rodeo, unfortunately,” he says. “Luna can be a bit rowdy.”

“Hah,” Dana chuffs. “My dog’s name is Stella.”

“Moon and stars,” he notes with a smile. Their dogs both calm, panting heavily and laying on the cool sidewalk. Dana returns the smile and sticks her hand out.

“I’m Dana.”

“Fox Mulder–I go by Mulder though.” 

 _How strange,_ she thinks. He’s got a firm grip and kind eyes. Tall and lean, tousled brown hair.  

“I’ve gotta run, but it was good to meet you, Mulder.” Luna tugs at her leash again, but Stella’s now sitting obediently at Dana’s side, flight of fancy thankfully over. 

“You too, Dana. See you around,” he says. “Come on, Luna.” He continues on down the sidewalk and Dana chuckles to herself as he tries to reign her in. 

“What was all that now, Stella?” She asks as they round the corner. Stella just looks back at her, panting wth a goofy grin. Dana rubs her shoulder where she bumped into Fox.  _Mulder_ , she corrects herself. Mulder and Luna. She wonders if he lives nearby. 


End file.
